Carpet sweeper



Dec. 26, 1939. Q Q pARRlsl-l 2,184,623

CARPET SWEEPER Filed Dec. 20, 1937 ai a f q .a6-w l/"///////////// JJ X g "I d" @WWW/WWW J? 1f 15X/ `ff A TT ORNE Y. I

I one where the ends of the bristles of the brush rest comparatively lightly upon the surface.4

Patented Dec. 26, 1939 nNiTED STATES ,PATENT orifice CARPET SWEEPER A. i

M. Youart Application December 20, 1937, SerialrNo.180,6`93

1s claims. (el. 1'5-211) j p In the operation of carpet sweepers of the rotary brush type, the most effective relationship of the brush to the surface to be acted upon is Such sweepers are ordinarily used on carpets and rugs, and variations in the texture and depth of nap thereof cause very material variations in co-action between the brush and the surface.

The object of my present invention is to produce a carpet sweeper of the rotary brush type wherein the brushl is 'yieldably mounted in the 'casing in such manner as to yield, or be movable, vertically within the casing so as to automatically adjust itself relative to the surface to be operated upon in accordance with the character of that surface.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section axially of one end of the brush and the immediately adjacent portions of the structure;

Fig. 2 a transverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 at the plane of the inner surface of the dust plate;

Fig. 3 av view similar to Fig. 2 except that it is in the plane of the outer face of the dust plate; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Fig. l.

in the drawing I0 indicates the main body of the `casing provided, near each end, With an end wall II vertically medially slotted at l2. Secured to the outer face of each end Wall, one at each side of slot I2, is a plate I3 upon which is slidably mounted two wheel plates I4 each having a pin I5 upon which is journalled a traction wheel I6. ward the adjacent slot by a suitable spring so that the aligned wheels I6, while vertically fixed relative to the casing, are yielclably urged toward each other for a purpose which will appear.

Removably mounted in each slot I2 isan inverted U-shaped plate or carrier I'I, the outer arm of which is slidably mounted in guides G on the inner face of end plate P. Between the arms of carrier l'l is journalled the friction pulley I8, the circumference of which is interposed between and engaged by the circumferences of the two adjacent traction wheels Iii-I6. Pulley I8 is provided with an axial cup I9 the bottom o-f which is provided with an axial polygonal perforation 2l through the inner arm of the U-plate Il. Pivoted at 23-23 on the inner face of the inner Each plate I4 is yieldably urged toaccessible through perforation 22 arm of U-plate I 'I are two reversely arranged bell crank levers each comprising a vertical arm 24 and a horizontal brush-lifter arm 25. The adjacent ends of the two arms 25 are overlapped and the weights of these arms are such as to normally urge the vertical arms Z inwardly toward each other.

` `Arranged between each pair of vertical arms 2li-24' is a buffer ring 25, the external circumferential'face of Whichis preferably of a soft Amaterial such as rubber and this ring normally rests upon 'and engages the inner overlapping ends of the two horizontal arms 25-25.

Overlying the buffer ring 26 and the bell crank levers is adu'st plate 2 horizontally slotted at 2 8-28 to receive the pivot pins 23-23, and ver` tically slotted at 29 the horizontal'dimension of slot 29 being equal to the internal diameter of the buffer ring and thevertical dimension of this slotbeing enough to permit the desired-vertical movement of the brush, as will be made to appear.

The brushv bristles 33 are carried by an axle 3| which, at each end, is ensmalled so as to be projectib-le through slot 29 of the dust plate 2l and into the bore ofthe buffer ring 26, said ring fitting -said ensmalled portion but being freely 'rotatable relative thereto. Each end of axle 3I is .axially bored at 33 and at the bottom of the bore is an axial cup 34 like cup I9. Extending between cup 34 and cup I9, and having non-rotative association therewith, is a shaft 35. Conveniently, each shaft 35 at its outer end may be associated with its cup I 3 in such manner as to be normally axially retained therein, although preferably axially separable therefrom if desired. For this purpose, the outer end of shaft 35 is provided with a circumferential groove 39 near enough tothe end of the shaft to be within cup I9 when in position and, mounted inr this groove is a split the adjacent end of the brush axle 3l is suchl as to permit vertical and lateral movement of the brush without interference to proper rotary movement o-f the brush.

The lower end of the outer arm of each plate i1 is turned outwardly at Il to form a ngerhold and the plate at this point is perforated at 32. v

The traction wheels, at each end, are covered by the end plate P and attached to each of these plates is a depending spring latch linger 36, the lower end of which is projected through perforation 32. The latch is provided with a pin 36 adapted to enter perforation 38 and thereby releasably retain plate Il in position.

With the parts in operative position, the brush rests upon the surface to be treated. If this surface is a yieldable surface, such as a rug or carpet, the traction wheels will more or less sink into that surface while the brush bristles ride freely on the surface and when the casing is moved in one direction or the other, the resistance to rotation of the brush, offered by engagement of the bristles with the surface, will tend to cause a lateral movement of the brush so that the buffer ring will act upon one of the adjacent vertical arms 2Q to swing its horizontal arm upwardly and thus vertically lift the brush, the companion lever 2li-25 swinging in the opposite direction, i. e., the weighted arm moving downwardly, so as to keep the vertical arm in contact with the buffer ring. This action provides a support for the brush of such character that the contact of the lowermost bristles with the surface to be treated will be purely a function of the weight of brush and the resistance offered by the surface to the rotary movement of the bristles and this positioning will be entirely independent of any depth to which the traction wheels may be imbedded in the surface being treated. v

As a consequence, the brush action is uniform irrespective of the character of the surface whio is being brushed.

Upon reverse movement of the casing, a similar action takes place in conjunction with the companion bell crank levers and, as the buffer ring permits freedom of rotation of the brush axle therein, any noise which` might otherwise result from alternate engagement of the brush axle with the vertical arms of the bell crank levers, is eliminated.

It will be readily understood that, so far as brush position is concerned the buffer rings are not essential and that the brush axle might directly engage the vertical arms of the bell crank levers. It will also be readily understood that the dust plate may be omitted if desired without interfering with the self adjusting operation of the brush relative to the surface over which it is to be driven.

I have found that if the shaft is of the flexible type, there is vsome tendency for the brush to chatter and I therefore prefer a solid shaft as shown. The connections between this shaft, the driving pulley, and the brush axle, must, of course, be necessarily loose to permit the desired play of the brush transversely of its `axis and therefore, in order to prevent noise at these points, I introduce a silencer in the form of a rubber ring 3l in each cup as shown in Fig. l.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, a rotary brush mounted within the casing and iioatable within the casing both vertically and horizontally independent of downward pressure applied to the casing, movable brush-supporting means mounted within the casing and shiftable by reason of horizontal movement of the brush to cause vertical movement of the brush, and a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels.

2. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, an axled rotary brush mounted within the casing and floatable within the casing both vertically and horizontally independent of downward pressure applied to the casing, movable brush supporting means mounted within the casing and shiftable by reason of horizontal movement of the brush to cause vertical movement of the brush, a buier element interposed between the periphery of the brush axle and said movable brush-supporting means, and a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels.

3. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, a rotary brush mounted within the casing and movable transversely of its axis both Vertically and horizontally, a pair of bell-crank levers carried within the casing with their vertical arms alternatively engageable by the brush axle and their horizontal arms underlying the brush axle, and a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels.

4. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of `a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, a rotary brush mounted within the casing and movable transversely of its axis both vertically and horizontally, a pair of bell-crank levers carried within the casing with their vertical arms alternatively engageable by the brush axle and their horizontal arms underlying the brush axle, a buifer ring journaled on the brush axle between the said vertical arms, and a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels.

5. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, an axled rotary brush mounted within the casing and movable transversely of its axis both vertically and horizontally, a pair of bell-crank levers carried within the casing with their vertical arms alternatively engageable by the brush axle and their horizontal arms underlying the brush axle, a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels, and a dust plate interposed between the bell-crank levers and the brush bristles and covering said bell-crank levers, said dust plate having a perforation through which the brush axle projects and movable therewith transversely of the axis of the brush.

6. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, a rotary brush mounted within the casing and movable transversely of its axis both vertically and horizontally, a pair of bell-crank levers carried within the casing with their vertical arms alternatively engageable by the brush axle and their horizontal arms underlying the brush axle, a buffer ring journaled on the brush axle between the said vertical arms, a driving train interposed between the brush and one of the traction wheels, and a dust plate interposed between the bell-crank levers and the brush bristles and covering said bell-crank levers and buffer ring, said dust. plate having a perforation through which the brush axle projects and movable therewith transversely of the axis of the brush.

'7. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, an axled rotary brush mounted within the casing and floatable within the casing both vertically and horizontally independent of downward pressure appliedto the casing, means within the casing and engageable by the brush axle upon horizontal displacement transversely of its axis in either horizontal direction from normal vmedial position to cause upward movement of the brush axle, and a buffer element interposed betweenv said last-mentioned means and the brush axle.

8. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, an axled rotary brush mounted within the casing and floatable within the casing both vertically and horizontally independent of downward pressure applied to the casing, means within the casing and engageable by the brush axle upon horizontal displacement transversely of its axis in either horizontal direction from normal medial position to cause upward-movement of the brush axle, and a buffer ring journalled on the brush axle in position to engage said lastmentioned means. v

9. In a carpet sweeper, the combination of a` main casing, traction wheels supporting the casing, a rotary brush mounted within the casing and oatable within the casing both vertically and horizontally, a normally xed-axis driving pulley arrangedk between and in peripheral contact with an adjacent pair of ktraction wheels, a drive shaft, relatively loose polygonal connections between the ends of said shaft and the driving pulley and the brush axle respectively, and noise-absorbing elements interposed between the shaft and pulley and between the shaft and brush axle.

10. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one at each side of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis.

1l. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one at each side of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, a shaft having a relatively loose non-rotative driving connection with the driving pulley, and yieldable means normally holding the shaft against axial separation from the driving pulley.

l2. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one at each side of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, a shaft, and a noise-absorber element interposed between the shaft and pulley.

13. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertic-al arms one at each side of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, and adust plate overlying the bell crank levers and perforated to receive the axle of a rotary brush and laterally shiftable relative to the pulley axis.

14:. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrated to receive the axle of a rotary brush and laterally shiftable relative to the pulley axis.

i5. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a

pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane' transverse to the pulley axis and axial-y ly spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one vat each side of the pulley axis'and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, a shaft, a noise-absorber element interposed between the shaft and pulley and a dust plate overlying the bell-crank levers and perforated to reoeive the axle of a rotary brush and laterally shiftable relative tothe pulley axis.

i6. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said` carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one at each side of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, and a buffer ring sleevable upon the axle of a brush and lying between the vertical arms of the bellcrank levers, a dust plate overlying the bellcrank levers and buffer ring and perforated to receive the axle of such brush and laterally shiftable relative to the pulley axis.

17. A carpet sweeper unit comprising a carrier, a drive pulley journalled on said carrier, a pair of bell-crank levers pivoted on the carrier in a plane transverse to the pulley axis and axially spaced from the pulley with vertical arms one at each side'of the pulley axis and overlapping horizontal arms beneath the pulley axis, a lshaft having a relatively loose non-rotative driving connection with the driving pulley, and yieldable means normally holding the shaft against axial separation from the driving pulley, a buffer ring sleevable upon `the axle of a brush and lying between the vertical arms ofA the bell-crank levers,

a dust plate overlying the bell-crank levers and buffer ring and perforated to receive the axle of such brush and laterally shiftable relative to the a noise-absorber element interposed between the f shaft and pulley, a buffer ring sleevable upon'thev axle of a brush and lying between the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers, a dust plate overlying the bell-crank levers and buffer ring and perforated 'to receive the axle of such brush and laterally shiftable relative to the pulley axis.

CARL C. PARRISH. 

